Old Trafford Cricket Ground Profile
Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Greater Manchester, England, hosts Test, ODI and T20I cricket. It was first opened in 1857 as the ground of Manchester Cricket Club but has been the home of Lancashire County Cricket Club since 1864. The county, as well as their T20 Blast team Lancashire Lightning, still call the stadium home.
The ground is the second oldest Test venue in England after the Oval. It first hosted Test cricket in 1884 for the first Ashes match between England and Australia to be held in the country. It has since held 74 Tests. Old Trafford has also been chosen to hold World Cup matches during five separate tournaments.
Historic moments at the ground include England’s Jim Laker becoming the first cricketer to bag a 10-wicket haul in a single innings when achieving the feat in 1956. Shane Warne’s iconic “ball of the century” to Mike Gatting during the 1993 Ashes also took place here.
Old Trafford lost Test status in 2009 prompting a multi-million-pound overhaul and redevelopment of the facilities. This included restoration of the pavilion and a new stand. The ground is now back hosting international fixtures each year.
What to look for when betting on matches at Old Trafford
Old Trafford pitch is historically the quickest in England. However, it can also offer plenty to spin as the game progresses. This is shown by places in the top 10 wicket-takers list for Warne, Laker, Lance Gibbs and Monty Panesar, while James Anderson and Stuart Broad have enjoyed devastating spells here too. Denis Compton remains the top run-scorer at Old Trafford with 818 runs in his 13 innings.
